CASSIDY COVENTRY BLAZE have been knocked off the top of the bmibaby Elite League.

Blaze were without a game at the weekend, having started their season with back-to-back wins over Sheffield Steelers and Belfast Giants.

Their inactivity allowed defending champions Belfast Giants to take over the top and Nottingham Panthers to move into second.

Blaze have games in hand on both the top two and the visit of Cardiff Devils to the Skydome on Saturday pits the league's only two unbeaten sides against each other in a repeat of last year's Challenge Cup final that the Welsh side won in a penalty shoot-out.

Cardiff made it two wins out of two with a 4-3 win at Edinburgh on Saturday night with former Blaze forward Russ Cowley among the scorers.

Sheffield Steelers are propping up the table after starting the season with three straight defeats.